Mindful Offsites: How-To

On the daily, we are checking in with our team — whether it’s from a cab on the way to the airport, a video chat to share our sketches, or sharing new haircuts — being nimble and able to work from anywhere is something we pride ourselves on. Of course, long distance relationships (even working ones) come with their own challenges, which is why we prioritize a team off-site every 6-12 months to get our fill of face-time…the real kind.

We catch a flight, a train, a Lyft (whatever works) to an inspiring place with as much peace as possible, so that our team can zen out and hone in on the team. We get a lot out of these rendezvous — bonding and higher morale being among the benefits — and over the years we’ve learned how to get the most out of rare and precious meetings.

DIG A LITTLE DEEPER

We constantly chat with our team about our current projects and weekend plans, but we use our off-site time to ask bigger questions.

GET INSPIRED

Getting out of our everyday environments gives each team member the space for fresh eyes — to look inward and forward.

LISTEN UP

As a creative collective, we could talk for days (years!) about the importance culture plays in an organization, and although establishing your company’s own culture can sometimes seem like a bit of a riddle, establishing a working community where everyone can be genuinely heard should remain a priority.

WORK EBB, WORK FLOW

It may seem difficult to carve out time for the whole team to have their OOO email set-up, but those unplugged days help our process flow substantially better. Use this time to reflect, look ahead, and make a collective action plan.

GROWING AS A TEAM, INDIVIDUALLY

We want all our team members to grow, and a lot of that is creating a space for each person to develop in their own way. By creating a safe and disarming space, we can ask tough questions that come from a genuine place, and support each other up and out of our comfort zones.

EVER EVOLVING

Having this time every few months to come together allows us to question and course correct, so we can refocus on our goals. Is this the work we want to be doing? Is there something more we could and should push for? It’s vital for us to come together and make these decisions as a team to re-route, grow, and evolve in the direction we want.